Stock and broth are more or less the same thing, a mixture of any combination of meats (including poultry or seafood), bones, vegetables or herbs simmered in a large quantity of water, then strained.
You can use either stock or broth for keeping dressing moist or as a basis for gravy, but a strong flavor will give you better results. The strength of the flavor depends on how the mixture was prepared: the quantities and proportions of the ingredients, amount of water used, whether the meats or bones or vegetables were roasted before simmering, and how long the mixture was simmered.
Chefs rely on stock as an ingredient in itself: the basis for other soups, stews, gravies and sauces, using it instead of water for steaming, even putting it into salad dressings and co*cktails. Stock can be weak or strong in flavor, depending on what the chef requires and how much effort is put into making it. The cans or cartons of broth that we see in the markets have a medium-strong flavor that makes them suitable for serving as a finished soup.
When you see a recipe that calls for "stock or broth," what it is really saying is "homemade or canned." Which one you choose depends on your inclinations. Though I keep a supply of homemade stock in my freezer, I often use broth from cans or cartons (usually labeled broth but, confusingly, may also be labeled stock) for my everyday cooking. Canned broth can be simmered to reduce it and strengthen the flavor, if you think it's a bit too weak for your purposes. The best trick to boosting flavor from canned chicken broth is to simmer the bones of a (purchased) roasted chicken in it for an hour.
At Thanksgiving, though, I make my own stock. I always roast two turkeys, preparing a small one the day before Thanksgiving. After removing the meat from that turkey (setting it aside for leftover sandwiches), I simmer the bones with herbs and vegetables to make a strongly-flavored stock for my favorite gravy, Mark Bittman's Make-Ahead Gravy. If that seems extreme — and perhaps it is — turkey broth/stock from the supermarket will work perfectly well.
FAQs
Butterball® Turkey Talk-Line®
Call 1-800-BUTTERBALL or text 844-877-3456 to chat with our turkey experts.
What is the Butterball turkey talk-line's most frequent question? ›
No one seems to know how to thaw a turkey in America. Every year, around 100,000 people call the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line to ask their most burning question: how the heck do I thaw this thing?
Who can you call if you have turkey-related questions on Thanksgiving? ›
You can reach the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line by calling 1-800-BUTTERBALL or texting 844-877-3456.
How many people call Butterball Hotline? ›
Since then, the Turkey Talk-Line has grown, both in number of calls answered and experts responding. Open every November and December, our more than 50 experts answer more than 100,000 questions from households across the United States and Canada.
What is the Butterball controversy? ›
Criticism. Animal rights activists such as Mercy for Animals, the Humane Society of the United States, and PETA have accused Butterball of animal cruelty.
How many calls does the Butterball turkey talk line get on Thanksgiving? ›
We answer calls, texts, emails, live chats, and questions on social media. Our experts are available to assist in both English and Spanish. We assist more than 100,000 people, fielding nearly 15,000 calls on Thanksgiving Day alone.
How do I ask a Butterball turkey question? ›
Contact Us
- Call. Want to talk to a human? Call us at 1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372) Consumer Affairs team hours: Monday - Friday 9 am – 6 pm EST.
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Butterball issued a recall on more than 14,100 pounds of ground turkey products Wednesday after consumers told food safety regulators that they found pieces of blue plastic embedded in their raw ground turkey.
Who owns Butterball? ›
How long can you keep a fresh BUTTERBALL turkey before cooking? ›
Storage Instructions
Storing Fresh Turkey: Fresh turkey should be refrigerated at 35° to 40°F. The lower temperature is preferred. If you are not confident about the temperature of your refrigerator, cook or freeze the turkey within 4 days of purchase.
Butterball Frozen Whole Turkey is all natural*, gluten free and raised without hormones on American farms. Each turkey is pre-brined before freezing for meat that's always tender and juicy. Frozen turkey can be purchased ahead of time for convenience and thawed prior to cooking.
What state consumes the most turkey every Thanksgiving question? ›
The state of California consumes the most turkey. Approximately 46 million turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving every year.
How do I contact Butterball turkey? ›
For consumer questions or information, call the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line at 1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372) or send an email. For more information on innovative Butterball products or recipe ideas, visit Butterball.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.
Is Butterball turkey real turkey? ›
93% Lean Turkey Patties
This Butterball turkey meat is minimally processed with zero artificial ingredients, hormones or steroids. * Skip the prep work and take these fresh turkey burgers straight to the grill, so you can get dinner on the table faster.
What does the nickname Butterball mean? ›
Britannica Dictionary definition of BUTTERBALL. [count] US, informal + often impolite. : a person who is somewhat fat. I was a little butterball when I was a child.
What is the hotline for turkey safety? ›
The number is 888-674-6854.
Is Butterball still in business? ›
For more than 60 years, the company helps people celebrate holidays and every day in between, bringing delicious turkey products to tables around the world.
Where is the Butterball headquarters located? ›
Butterball headquarters is located in Garner, NC, just outside of Raleigh. Our office is a convenient 30-minute drive from the Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU).
Does Butterball have a pop up timer? ›
Butterball turkeys don't come with a pop-up timer. Instead the company recommends using a meat thermometer as the best way to tell if a turkey is cooked properly.
